Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater
by DarkHairedVeela
Summary: James Potter and Marina Rexroth are not your typical cheaters. Here's the tick: They're in love with each other. Really they are. They just need to remember why. Follow them on their journey. James II/ OC
1. Hate: Marina

**C H E A T E R , C H E A T E R , P U M P K I N E A T E R**

Title: Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater  
><span>Author:<span> DarkHairedVeela  
><span>Summary:<span> James Potter and Marina Rexroth are not your typical cheaters. Here's the tick: They're in love with each other. Really they are. They just need to remember why. Follow them on their journey. James II/ OC  
><span>Inspiration:<span> "Miss Me" by Andy Grammer, and the nursery rhyme.  
><span>Warnings:<span> Mildish cursing  
><span>Pairings<span>: James II/OC  
><span>Disclaimer<span>: I do not own Harry Potter.

"Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater  
>Had a Wife But Couldn't Keep Her<br>Put Her in a Pumpkin Shell  
>And there He Kept Her Very Well"<p>

James is different.

We're _both_ different actually compared to the rest of the topsy turvy world.

I mean we're just not meant to mix with other people. If everyone's body consisted of 75% water then ours consisted of 75% oil. We're machines — our programming designed long ago — and we're not liable to change.

But there isn't a problem with that. Not at all.

Once, a long time ago, we were normal. We had once been little tykes running around and yelping over our scabbed knees. We had dreamt about what would happen when we were older and what we would do at Hogwarts. We had been shiny and beautiful and new.

But that was before I even met him — before he even met me.

We met in first year, on the train to Hogwarts. All knobby knees and pink noses. By then we had known we would be tough, we would be on top and everyone would love us. That's all we knew of each other and we were fine with it. We became close friends after that first meeting. My name, "Rexroth, Marina" came right after his, "Potter, James" and I followed him into Gryffindor.

Of course we weren't the best of friend. Not by a long shot. I was just, you know, the girl best friend. The one he could laugh with about gossip. Riveting right? It was enough though because at the end of fourth year he told me he loved me, and we've been together ever since.

Yes, we were _that_ couple. The golden one, the bright flame that would never go out.

A good majority of the student body campaigned heavily against it. James would be holding my hand between classes or even at dinner and everyone would voice their opinion.

"They're still _together_?"

"I hear their relationship's on the rocks."

"They need to break up."

"She _so_ doesn't' deserve him."

As if it mattered!

But it did. We lived off the rumors and the comments. We basked in the glory, whether it was negative or positive. So long as we had their attention we were good. We didn't care.

_Besides we love each other. _

I gaped at my best friend, Rose Weasley rather expressionlessly. She was sitting Indian style on the other end of my bed, her eyes pleading and sorrowful.

_I love James._

I could feel the anger and the hurt stirring just behind my eyes and deep in my chest. I let myself explode with a horrible scream of pure anguish and I couldn't help but pat myself on the back when Rose flinched. I wanted to strangle her. Don't shoot the messenger? Frankly, I don't give a shit. I wanted her dead.

_James loves me._

I jolted off my bed and hurtled down the stairs into the Gryffindor common room where I found him. He was _laughing_, just smiling and laughing with his friends as if life was still hunky dory. I marched up to him and went about tearing every single strand of _perfect, black, soft, messy_ hair I could get my grubby, betrayed fingers on.

_We _mostly_ love each other. _

"YOU _CHEATED_!" I screeched over his strangled and pained yelps, angry tears streaming down my cheeks.

_Okay, I hate him. _

Suddenly he was fighting back. He was trying to get a hold of me _by my neck_ so I could stop hitting and scratching every inch I could reach. His friends had backed off to give us room to . . . what were we doing might you ask? Well it's obvious. We were wrestling like our lives depended on it, only unlike the other times I wasn't getting any sort of turn on whatsoever.

_And, he hates me too._

I eventually ran out of energy to fight him, all I could seem to do was cry like a baby as he drove me farther into the common room floor. I stared up at his scratched face (my doing) with a dead, almost pleading look. He looked absolutely livid. He had dirty green eyes mixed with blue and orange and right now fire took control. His hair was standing on end and with each struggled breath the soft strands would tremble as if in the wake of a large gust of wind.

He was all beauty and power. We were meant to be together, I knew it. We deserved each other but I didn't want him anymore. I hated him. With a sudden burst of energy that I really didn't have I shoved him from on top of me.

I glared at him as I pushed myself to my feet. I had forgotten my fellow Gryffindors who were giving us their undivided attention. "Why did you do it?"

James rolled his eyes before leaning closer. "Why did _you_?"

A frustrated growl gurgled its way up my throat and my hands clenched into fists. "That was two years ago! You can't pull that card every time you fuck up, James."

James shook his head. "This isn't about a stupid timeline."

I gaped, as fresh tears prickled at my eyes. For the first time in about two years I was afraid to look at him. I just looked at his feet. He cheated on purpose. "Well then, in that case," I stuck my hand out and slapped my most winning smile on my face. I waited until he cautiously yet confidently took shook my hand. "Well played, _captain_."

With that I walked back up to my dorm where I stayed for a week and cried my eyes out.

We had been shiny and beautiful and new. Now we were old and our screws needed tightening and our cogs needed replacing.

Oh, and our hearts have glitches in their programming.


	2. Confessions pt 1: Marina

I have a confession to make. Actually I have a few:

I lied, I didn't stay in my dorm for a whole week. That's just sad. No, the next morning I woke up super early, resolved to look _damn_ good. As popular as I was people were bound to have heard about my little spat with James . . . okay "spat" is a bit of an understatement. It was more like . . . an "unabashed-shameless-riotous-_brawl_".

So I did my hair all up and added some charmed purple eye shadow that changed shades every five minutes. Believe me, that's some high caliber shadow.

Even if I didn't leave my dorm, Rose-fascist-book-worm-extraordinaire would rip out my tongue and fed it to her sadistic cat Minny if I didn't attend my classes. It's acceptable though because I care so much about my classes, you know?

Cue eye roll now.

This brings me to confession number two. I lied about Rose Weasley being my best friend as well. She likes to _think _we are best friends. She's a sixth year and ever since she came to Hogwarts she'd follow me wherever I went. But she's a brat and way to high maintenance for me, for _anyone_. After my spat—sorry, I mean brawl—with James Potter I charmed the door to the seventh-year-girls dorm to not let anyone named Rose Weasley in. Because we're _not_ best friends.

My real best friend, Dominique, is living it up in the Americas since the moment she graduated Hogwarts last year. A year early, mind you. She was too _damn_ smart and resourceful to stay in Hogwarts for the status quo of seven years so she sped up the progress and took her N.E.W.T.s in our sixth year.

Looking back I probably should have piggybacked on her plan. Why wouldn't I want to graduate a year early with my best friend?

Oh yeah, my boyfriend James Potter and quidditch were kind of the central focus of my life. Hence, the extensive lack of Marina's in the west.

I miss jerkface Dommy though. She would know what I needed to hear right now. . . Not that I need to hear anything. I'm not emotionally distressed. Of course not.

My third confession: is far too embarrassing to get into. Maybe later or maybe never.

Anyway the morning after the brawl (see I got it right that time) was uneventful. As uneventful as the seventh ring of hell, that is.

I never realized how comfortable I had gotten with James walking beside me in the crowded corridors. I never noticed how much I appreciated his arm to hold on to as he guided me from place to place. And honestly, it's been a long time since I've felt so vulnerable and open to the snippets of gossip I could hear as I walked past.

With James I was so much bolder, braver. But today, I had to swallow all of those insecurities and just _strut_. Like a champion, an expert, a professional.

Like a boss.

I had to let the world know that I wasn't hurt, that I was taking this new, er, "development" in stride. I was still in control gosh darn it.

Breakfast wasn't that. It was all about appearing _dignified_. Which was easy: stick your nose into the air and act like there's a horrid smell just on your lip that you're trying in vain to get away from. Glares are good too. And a smirk, nothing can go wrong with a smirk. I mean have you seen the Malfoy family? Those people are on top of the world, even after supporting Voldemort for generations.

I digress.

I was probably sitting at the Gryffindor table for a maximum of sixty seconds before a good-looking boy sat himself just across from me.

I looked up from spreading cream cheese onto my bagel. But only for a second.

"Hi, Tony," I said in a bored voice.

"Hey, Marina." He replied.

Ugh, Tony Garner. We have Ancient Runes together—the only class I don't share with James, thought that's clearly an unimportant fact—and sometime's we'd partner up on the class work. Tony's also one of the Gryffindor chasers. Unfortunately, he's pretty good. Unfortunately, he believes that he's in love with me. Fortunately, I find him annoying. He's constantly asking me out, his hand constantly running through his flat, dull blond hair in an obvious imitation of my boyfriend . . .

Ex boyfriend? I don't think we cleared that up with each other . . .

Anyway.

I find Tony annoying. So, sue me for not being entirely thrilled by his presence.

He knocked his knuckles on the deep mahogany table in order to dispel the awkward tension that was beginning to form around us. "So how are you doing?"

I didn't appreciate the connotation behind the question. I forced a smile and a bubbly shake of my head and asked "What do you mean?"

"Well you know, how are you holding up? What with the break up and everything."

I dropped the giggling school girl act and glared at him. Which, to my satisfaction deterred his smug expression. "Who said anything about a break up, Garner?"

"Marina, I don't think you understand," he fired back, reaching for my hand which I quickly employed to finish preparing my bagel. "He had you by the neck last night." He licked his lips and leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Marina, that's classified as an _abusive relationship_."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh pish posh. T'was but a spat." I took a large bite out of my-finally—prepared bagel. Mhhhm heaven. "Besides, those are some traitorous and seditious words towards our captain, don't you think?"

Tony sighed as if he truly cared for my well being. Ha! "Well anyway, we should go to Hogsmede next weekend, I can reserve a table in the next couple of days . . ."

"Oh, piss off, Garner," said a voice just behind me. It was Dom's younger brother, Louis, come to rescue me! Merlin, I love that kid. He took a seat next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, giving me a comforting squeeze. Tony seemed unfazed, though he did stand to leave. "Just let me know, Marina. I always have time for you." With a soul shuddering wink he walked off.

I scrunched up my nose, "I don't like him."

Louis smiled. "I know."

His arm was still around me and I was hyper-sensitive to the fact that James had entered the Great Hall 15.6 seconds ago.

"Really, though, are you okay?" he asked quietly.

I took another monstrous bite. "Nah," I said around my food. "Probably not, and don't you dare hug me," I concluded shrugging his arm off as I tried and failed not to glance at James. Okay that was another understatement.

I openly stared.

He wasn't looking back though. When he sat next to his sister and Hugo I averted my eyes to my bagel, then to Louis, then back to my bagel which sadly looked a lot less appetizing than it had a minute ago. Maybe we're broken up. (James and I that is . . . not the bagel).

I _wanted_ us to break up. But how are you supposed to end a relationship cold turkey when it's the only support system you have?

Ugh, I can't do this crap.

"Where's Dommie now?" I asked pushing my bagel away.

Louis shrugged. "Last I heard she was in Rio. If you want to write her a letter you can borrow our owl, since Terror hates long distances."

"Okay," I said, smiling. "Thanks Louis. I love you."

He chuckled, "I know."

Classes were harder to get through. James and I were partners in Charms, Transfiguration and Potions, and we have been since our fifth year. Yes, the decision was not purely academic. No, I did not, at the time, care. Transfiguration was particularly humiliating since I was complete rubbish at it. James would snicker under his breath every time I goofed the spell. The task was to conjure a small tree into the pots provided for us. I think it was another one of Professor Vance's ploys to win professor Longbottom over again. Too bad he's _married_.

After about the fifth time of conjuring only a branch and a handful of leaves my boyfrie—uh, James took hold of my wand hand.

I looked up at his face, startled. He was no longer laughing, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, a determined frown tugging the corners of his mouth. I gaped at him like a fish, which he thankfully ignored.

"You're pushing it," he said referring to the assignment. I stared at him blankly, my brain running amok, desperately trying to figure out why he was helping me after everything that had happened. After I pulled out all of his hair, and scratched his face. After I ruined our relationship two years ago. How can he really stand to be in my presence, much less _help me_?

"You're thinking too much about what a tree looks like. You have to think of it as a whole."

I nodded, letting his hand around mine loosen my grip on my wand. "Okay," I said, stronger than I thought I would. "How are you thinking of it, then?"

He let go of my hand and crossed his arms on the table. "I don't know, start thinking about the seed and how the tree will grow from that, I guess." With that he turned back to his friend Liam Wood at the table next to us. I watched him for a little, the moment over.

With a scowl I turned to both my empty pot and abundant pile of branches, which I gave a much deserving glare. I hate transfiguration. Preparing myself for another disappointment, I licked my lips and rolled out my shoulders. Alright, think seed, think sunlight and water and roots and a trunk and branches. Think growth, the passage of time. I muttered the incantation, and promptly squeezed my eyes shut lest I received another malevolent poke in the eye by a rogue branch. Again.

After a moment of silence I opened my eyes hesitantly. There it was my beautiful little tree. The trunk was barely an inch in diameter, but it was there poking out of the soil like a champion. I smiled, and turned to James who nodded in appreciation, before turning once more to Liam.

I quickly reached out and touch his arm. "Hey," my voice pretty much failed me after that when he locked his hazel eyes to mine.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

I cleared my throat, "I was just wondering, where do we, uh, stand right now?"

James glared. "You're kidding right?"

I shook my head slowly. "No. . . Nope, it's been bugging me all day, actually," I said bringing my right arm around to hold my other arm. He gave me a weird look—one that closely resembled the look he would give me before a good snog. I half way thought it was going to happen too, even though I knew the real answer.

"We're done, Marina," he spat at me. "We've been done for a long time."

I nodded, looking away and back at my tree, feeling ashamed again. "Yeah, okay. Just . . . wanted to be on the same page, you kn—"

But he stopped listening.

I spent the rest of the class doodling my name on a piece of parchment. On the back I wrote the name "Sloan" in loopy cursive. It was the name of my new tree, I spent ten minutes deciding on that name just trying to dispel my thoughts of all that was James Potter.

It was difficult and no, it didn't even work.

When the bell rang I promptly attached the piece of parchment on my tree and left it there on the table to be graded. I hoped she gave them back to us.

I liked Sloan.


	3. Bruises: Marina

**Bruised: chapter 3**

After transfiguration my stomach began to twist into knot after knot as Quiditch practice loomed closer. I tried to busy myself with the potions assignment I'd been neglecting by isolating myself in one of the darker corners of the library. No dice there, my friend. So instead I pulled out a bright pink roll of parchment and began composing a letter to Dominique.

_Dear Dommie, _

_Come back! I miss you and I haven't seen you since summer. Louis says you're in Rio. Or you were in Rio, either way I hope you've been taking pictures. _

_Seriously though, I need you. James broke up with me. It was bad. He cheated on me with a girl named Sonia Bentely. I still don't know who she is exactly but he did it to get back at me for kissing Freddie. I thought we were over and passed that. Guess not . . ._

_I feel like there's no one to talk to about all this with you so far away. Our match for the Quiditch Cup is coming up in a couple weeks. It would be nice if you were there to watch me play my last match. _

_Love, Marina_

_p.s. Bring back a Brazilian . . . Bring two._

Once I was finished I folded the letter as perfectly as I could so I could waste more time before practice. It wasn't until the hurried sound of approaching footsteps reached my ears that a wave of dread washed over me. I quickly gathered my things and stuffed them in my school bag before Liam's strong, beefy fingers snatched a fistful of my hair (yeah my long flowing locks) and yanked me out of the Library and towards the Pitch.

Perhaps my stalling was a bit excessive.

"Liam, I go willingly so please stop TEARING MY HAIR FROM OUT OF MY SKULL!"

He thankfully let go. "You do realize that today is Friday, don't you? The Quiditch Cup is 15 days from now! Fifteen, Marina! I thought you were serious about going professional. Scouters will be crawling the pitch and Gryffindor needs to show them what we can offer. If you're not 110% committed I suggest you just quit the team so we can focus on those who are."

I jogged to keep up with his long strides. "You know I'm serious! I just . . . lost track of time. I'm sorry!" I placed a hand on his shoulder, "Really, I am."

He deflated. "I know you are. James just made me give you the speech."

My eye involuntarily twitched at James' name.

I waved a hand at him as we pushed open the large doors in the Entrance Hall that led to the beautiful Scotland summer terrain. I squinted my eyes at the setting sun, trying to get used to the brightness.

Liam Wood was a nice guy. Over my years at Hogwarts I began to see him as a brotherly figure in my life, something I had never had before I had met him. He put an arm around my shoulders until we reached the pitch. "Your tree in Transfiguration was really nice. One of the best."

I smiled weakly. It was hard to put on airs around someone so close. I was supposed to take this whole break up thing in stride but I couldn't get James out of my head. Hadn't I wanted this too? When I tackled him in the Common Room last night? When I kissed bloody Fred Weasley II three times two years ago? Wasn't I done with it all a long time ago?

I looked up into Liam's green gold eyes. "Only because he helped me."

"James didn't wave your wand for you, Marina," he shrugged. "Listen, just forget everything and just focus on your life. I know it's not that simple but you need to try. It's been a long time since you focused on somebody other than James."

I nodded, walking quietly into the changing room. I sat on a bench for a moment, once again alone. I realized how numb I felt about everything around me. It was really sad. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and yanked on my gear. "Quiditch will make me feel better," I resolved aloud, pulling my broom from its cubby and exiting the changing rooms. I jumped on my broom and soared to the goal posts, the warm air tingling my skin.

On my way I passed Ruby Grace one of the chasers and a fellow seventh year. I smiled at her weakly. "What are we doing today?" I asked, my eyes searching for our captain.

Ruby shrugged. "I think, Potter wants to do a scrimmage but he's been lecturing Garner for twenty minutes on how to 'correctly' pass the ball." She rolled her eyes.

"Jeesh." Tony may be annoying but he was actually an exceptional chaser. And there was James treating him like a novice.

"At this rate, we're not going to get anything accomplished," Albus said from out of nowhere, zooming past me and Ruby. He flew towards his older brother and snatched his beaters bat from his hand and began hitting him repeatedly.

"Al! Get off!" James shouted, outraged. "What are you doing?! Give me back my bat right this second!"

Albus stopped hitting James but held his bat just out of his brother's reach. "We've been flying around for twenty minutes, doing absolutely nothing." He threw the bat back to a glaring James. "Just start the scrimmage, okay? And get off Garner's back, he's fine."

Albus flew away and James huffed for another minute before blowing a shrill whistle. The scrimmage beginning.

Scrimmages lately have mostly tested Albus (the seeker), Lucy Weasley (the reserve seeker) and me (the keeper). How quickly could the seekers catch the snitch, and how many goals could I save before getting knocked off our brooms by a bludger from James or Liam.

Given James' behavior in the past 24 hours I wasn't really surprised by the amount of attention I was getting. And by "attention" I mean the amount of bludgers aimed for my head. My _head_, ladies and gentlemen.

To make it worse, sodding Tony Garner kept asking me if I was okay every time I saved a goal. "Just get back to your precious Quaffle," I finally snapped.

"Rexroth! Quit coaching Garner and focus!" Potter yelled, aiming yet another bludger at my face. I was too slow and it grazed my jaw. Hoping to Merlin it wasn't broken I let out a frustrated growl. It was _throbbing_. I felt tears gather in my eyes and my throat did that stupid thing when it tightens up and makes it hard to breathe.

I turned away from Potter and glued my eyes to the quaffles that Ruby, Tony, and J.J. were throwing at me. Eventually I forgot everything about my life that was going wrong. I pushed past the pain in my jaw. I forgot that Dom wasn't here to help me through it the hell that had suddenly become my life and I forgot that James was secretly campaigning for my speedy death by concussion. It was perfect. I was just blocking quaffles, I was doing my _job_.

I was so ready to go professional, so ready to leave Hogwarts and live life by my own terms. The whole incessant wand waving was never my thing anyway. Flying was where the _real_ magic was at.

James' whistle cut through my thoughts, ending the practice. I didn't move too far from my goal posts. I hardly even listened to whatever it was he was saying to the rest of the team. All I could comprehend was the searing hot pain in my jaw that had returned full force. I wobbled a little on my broom, my vision losing focus. Merlin James, are you really trying to kill me? I massaged it with my fingers gingerly, hissing at the contact.

"Let me see," James said, his broom gliding next to mine. I hadn't noticed that everyone was already on the ground, heading for the changing rooms. James and I were alone.

"It's fine," I told him proudly, pulling my hair forward to hide it from view.

His hand shot out to tip my chin up. "Let me see," he muttered again.

I rolled my eyes as he began his inspection of my jaw. "Is it bruised?" I asked curiously, trying not to notice his sweaty-just-after-quiditch-practice smell. I loved that smell.

"No. But it will. You should go to the Hospital Wing."

I pulled away. "And you should attend anger management classes," I shot back. "This was your fault."

"You need to dodge faster," he shrugged. "They're not going to go easy on you. You know that."

"You are such an arse!" I shouted. "I've been on this team since my second year, James. You know I'm good. You know that when I'm up here," I gestured to the open air, "I know what I'm doing. I've never been hit by a bludger during a match before."

James narrowed his eyes. "You done, Rexroth?"

"No." I said quickly. "I need you to leave me alone. I need to focus."

Ruby was waiting for me in the changing rooms. "Are you okay, Marina?" she asked when I walked it clutching my jaw.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." But talking kind of hurt.

Ruby nodded, silently stacking her Quiditch gear into her wooden locker. I tore off my cloak and ripped a brush through my windswept hair as quickly as I could so I could walk with her back to our dorms.

"Marina, I was wondering," she started. "Would you like to have a girls night, since you're . . . free now?"

I sighed, she was right. Now that James and I were officially over and done with, I had _nothing _going for me. Usually I would go for a late night snack in the kitchens with Liam and James while we discussed quiditch tactics. How depressing, I thought. Liam was right, when was the last time I did anything without James? I was left with a sudden hollow feeling all because I wouldn't be in the kitchens tonight, or any other night for that matter.

I looked over at Ruby. I don't remember her auburn hair being so long. Did she use a charm? She was always good in that class. "Did you do something to your hair, Ruby?" I asked, reaching a hand out to tug on it a little.

Ruby laughed gently. "I've just been growing it out, Marina. Now girls night or not?" she paused to bite on her lip. "We've missed you."

I looked down, feeling my face heat up. I admit that for the past couple years I've been neglecting my roommate. Other than classes, and sleeping in the same room, we rarely spend any time together. Not like we used to. There were five of us before Dommie left. The other four were Marisol Lodger, Quinn Owen, Ruby Grace, and of course myself. We weren't _inseparable_ but we had fun with each other and there was a bond of love and trust between us all I suppose.

So the absence of angelic choirs breaking to heavenly harmony of "Hallelujah" wasn't all that shocking when I came to the conclusion that I missed them as well. I locked elbows with Ruby, the candlelight of castle flickering against her emerald eyes.

"I'm game for girls night."

Ruby smiled widely. She had always been a lovely girl—unless she's on a broom. She's a merciless chaser. "Good, I think we're looking at manicures, facials and gossip."

I already knew "gossip" meant James, the break up, and the spat, I mean brawl. Oddly enough, I was excited to talk about it. Maybe it was the leftover adrenaline from practice, or maybe the searing pain in my jaw but I couldn't wait to talk about it. I couldn't wait to get everything off my chest. I smiled. "Can't wait. _Niffler_." I said to the Fat Lady.

Marisol was the first to pounce when I entered the common room. "Marina! Grils night! Like the old days!"

I laughed as she snatched up my free arm and dragged us up the stairs to the seventh year dorm. I did not notice James sitting at the fire, watching the whole scene. I did not recall the fond memories of racing him to the Gryffindor common room from the quiditch pitch. I definitely did not remember losing every single time. I did not look into his eyes. And I most certainly did not catch a hint of pain in his eyes as I glared at him.

a/n:

Tell me what you thought! I'm actually quite happy with this chapter, I've been happy with this whole story so far. I basically love it. I know I'm slow but ehhhhh. I'm sorry lol

Next chapter?

Girls night! can you guess what Ruby will reveal?


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